Online game advertising system

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment an online game advertising system provides an architecture for enabling the definition, sales, distribution, and management of interactive advertisements, sponsorships, and placements that appear within an online video game as part of the game experience or during idle load, wait, and pause screens. For example, in a race car game, when a driver pulls in for a pit stop, the engine oil brand that the game player may choose may be defined as locations for advertisements or product placements for real life engine oils and game publishers and advertisers may manage what specific advertisements to place in these locations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an online game advertisingsystem, which in one embodiment serves as an architecture for enablingthe definition, sales, distribution, and management of interactiveadvertisements, sponsorships, and placements that appear within anonline video game as part of the game experience or during idle load,wait, and pause screens.

[0003] 2. Discussion of Background

[0004] The primary business model of traditional offline video games isthat game publishers generate revenues through the unit sales of gameson the wholesale market. With the advent of pervasive Internet andbroadband connectivity, video game publishers are adding onlinecapabilities to their games in order to attract more game players and toexplore new revenue models.

[0005] Existing online games allow players to play against other liveplayers. Some of these games display banner advertisements that borderthe main viewable area of the screen in which the game is played. Gameplayers often find these advertisements intrusive and annoying as theydistract from the main focus of playing the game.

[0006] Video game play is an immersing experience in which game playersinteract with the characters, scenery, and challenges of the game itselfand with other live persons who are also playing the game. Liketelevision and movies, playing video games is a highly engagingexperience that often requires the attention of its participants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present inventor has realized that advertising that occurswithin a video game is less annoying to users if it occurs transparentlywithout distracting the attention of the game player from the gameitself. This transparency can be achieved by placing advertisementswithin an online video game as part of the game experience or duringidle load, wait, and pause screens.

[0008] The present inventor has also realized the need to providedynamic updates and real time management of various parts of programs ingeneral and gaming systems in particular. In one embodiment, the presentinvention provides a game, comprising, a game playing program wherein atleast one part of the game playing program is configured to be populatedwith an add-on component. The invention may also be practiced as asystem, comprising, a game playing program wherein at least one part ofthe game playing program is configured to be populated with an add-oncomponent, a remote server configured to store and serve at least oneadd-on component compatible with the game playing program, and aninterface coupled to the game playing program, the interface configuredto interact with the remote server and facilitate importation of anadd-on component from the remote server into said at least one part ofthe game playing program.

[0009] In another embodiment, the invention is a server configured tomanage an area within a program hosted on a user computer, wherein theserver is remotely located from the user computer.

[0010] The invention may also be practiced as one or more methods, forexample, a method of on-line advertising, comprising the steps of,registering a user of a gaming system, uploading an advertisement to agame program of the registered user, wherein the game program isconfigured to accept and install the advertisement as an add-on gamecomponent, and managing activities of the user during interactions ofthe user with the uploaded add-on component. As another example, theinvention is a method of producing advertisements for games, comprisingthe steps of, preparing an executable program component capable of beingimported into a game program and configured to interact with a gamebeing played by a user of the game program.

[0011] In yet other embodiments, the invention is a componentcomprising, a software module configured to be imported into acommercially available gaming program, wherein said software module isconfigured to implement an additional feature of the gaming program, theadditional feature comprising at least one of an advertisementsponsorship, placement, coupon, gift certificate, announcement, text,graphics, video, and objects used by the game program.

[0012] These and other embodiments and features of the invention may beconveniently implemented in programming on a general purpose computer,or networked computers, and the results may be displayed on an outputdevice connected to any of the general purpose, networked computers, ortransmitted to a remote device for output or display. In addition, anycomponents of the present invention represented in a computer program,data sequences, and/or control signals may be embodied as an electronicsignal broadcast (or transmitted) at any frequency in any mediumincluding, but not limited to, wireless broadcasts, and transmissionsover copper wire(s), fiber optic cable(s), and co-ax cable(s), etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of theattendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the samebecomes better understood by reference to the following detaileddescription when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a gaming system according to anembodiment of the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a screenshot of a program play space output according toan embodiment of the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a flowchart example of how game locations are definedand registered according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a flowchart example of how advertisement assets,campaigns, and display rules are defined according to an embodiment ofthe present invention;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a flowchart example of how advertisements are viewed bya game player within a game according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0019]FIG. 6 is a block diagram example of the online advertising systemaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 7 is a printout example of XML code of a campaignadvertisement listing according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0021]FIG. 8 is a schematic example of an ad campaign data structureaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 9 is a screenshot example of using the Game ManagerManagement Console to register game locations according to an embodimentof the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 10 is a screenshot example of how a game player is definedusing the Game Manager Management Console according to an embodiment ofthe present invention;

[0024]FIG. 11 is a screenshot example of how an advertisement is definedusing the Advertising Manager Management Console according to anembodiment of the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 12 is a screenshot example of how an advertisement campaignis defined using the Advertising Manager Management Console according toan embodiment of the present invention;

[0026]FIG. 13 is a screenshot example of how display rules for anadvertisement campaign are defined using the Advertising ManagerManagement Console according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027]FIG. 14 is a screenshot example of how an advertisement from aload screen within a game is viewed according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0028]FIG. 15 is a screenshot example of how an advertisement from apause screen within a game is viewed according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0029]FIG. 16 is a screenshot example of how a game player may requestto be sent additional information regarding the ad through emailaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030]FIG. 17 is a screenshot example of how an advertisement placementwithin a game is viewed according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0031]FIG. 18 is a screenshot example of how a game player is promptedwith a login screen when attempting to view a secured or personal areasuch as requesting product information or gift certificates that aremailed to the game player's home address;

[0032]FIG. 19 is a screenshot example of how a game player may define auser account for him/herself through the use of the game according toone embodiment of the present invention; and

[0033]FIG. 20 is a screenshot example of how a game player may define acredit card that is tied to one's user account for purchases made withinthe game according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034]FIG. 21 is a relational database schema for metadata storageaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numeralsdesignate identical or corresponding parts, and more particularly toFIG. 1 thereof, there is illustrated a drawing of a gaming systemaccording to an embodiment of the present invention. A remote serverstores an add-on component 115A that is configured to be uploaded andinstalled in a program 185 on a user computer 180. The program 185includes an Application Programming Interface (API) 190 that allows theprogram 185 to communicate with the remote server 110 through a standardnetwork or Internet connection hosted on the user computer 180. Theadd-on component 115A (initially stored in database 130 or other storagedevice) is, for example, served to the user computer 180 by the remoteserver 110 via an Internet connection, and installed in the program 185via the API. As shown in FIG. 1, add-on component 115A has been servedto user computer 180, installed by API 190, and is shown residing withinprogram 185 as add-on component 115B.

[0036] The add-on component is, for example, an executable programcomponent, interpretable source code, or other software module, that,when executing within the program 185, implements a feature or otherwiseadds value to the program 185. The program 185 may be any type ofcomputer program, including any of games, business programs,entertainment programs, etc.

[0037] A publisher of program 185 releases program 185 with facilitiesor other hooks (e.g., programming techniques, API, interface, etc.) inthe program 185 that are needed to accept additional new components(e.g., game pieces, area updates, etc.). The API 190 accepts incomingnew components from an Internet or other connection and provides theincoming component to the program in a manner needed by the program toaccept additional programming. For example, the API saves a newcomponent in an appropriate directory that is accessible to the program,or invokes a specific routine provided by the program to install thecomponent.

[0038] We now turn to a specific example in which the program 185 is agame playing program of the type in which users select characters orother icons and then control movement of the selected character or iconvia joystick or other input devices attached to the user computer 180.An example output play space 200 of an example game playing program asshown in FIG. 2. The game includes characters 205 and 210 that representusers of the game. In one embodiment, the game is an on-line game, and,for example, character 210 represents a remote on-line user andcharacter 205 represents a local user of user computer 180.

[0039] In this example, the add-on component is configured to provide abillboard, and the add-on component includes all the data andprogramming to place “Freeway Billboard” 220 in the game as a managedarea. The program 185 has been programmed to have facilities to allowupdates to a portion of the game playing space, and upon installation ofthe add-on component 115B, the “Freeway Billboard” appears in the gameplaying space. As illustrated in this example, a part of the program 185is updated with add-on component 115B (e.g., updates programming of thegame), and the programs output, or play space, is also updated with anadditional feature (e.g., “Freeway Billboard” 220) provided by theadd-on component.

[0040] In one embodiment, “Freeway Billboard” 220 is a virtualadvertisement display that cycles through various video and animatedadvertisements (FIG. 2, Advertisement 225). The advertisements may beselected by local and/or remote users based on interaction of theirrespective characters with the virtual billboard. When selecting thebillboard, the interacting user may further have the option to enterhis/her own email or home address to request additional informationregarding the product being advertised. Moreover, the user may have theoption to immediately purchase the product being advertised. Payment ismade, for example, via real cash or credit monetary transactions or viapoints, health, or other value accumulated through play of the game. Thecharacters may select the virtual billboard by pointing or looking atthe billboard or other means of selection provided by the add-oncomponent and use various ways to select advertisements from the virtualbillboard. In one embodiment, once selecting the virtual billboard, avirtual “advertainment” experience is provided, where the game player'scharacter enter a special game level, room, or area and may interactdirectly with animated characters, objects, and videos that representthe various products being advertised. In another embodiment, atraditional video-based, TV-like advertisement is provided and inanother embodiment a traditional image-based, web-like advertisement isprovided. In one embodiment, game play is suspended during “viewing theadvertisement.” In other embodiments, game play continues while thecharacters view the advertisement—thus, while viewing the billboard orwalking through the virtual “advertainment” area, a player in ashoot-em-up style game may be in peril of getting shot. In oneembodiment, a motif of the add-on component 115B is programmed to matcha motif of the program being updated (e.g., in an old west style game,the billboard appears as a large ranch sign—an O.K. Corral style sign,or, in technology related games, the billboard appears in a futuristicmotif).

[0041] In one embodiment, a virtual billboard within a specific gameplaying program will advertise equipment, ammo, characters, etc that arecompatible with the game playing program. Thus, upon selection of thebillboard advertisement, the game character will enter a virtual store,and will be able to “purchase” his own game equipment, such as aparticular model of a gun (pistol, rifle, machine gun, etc.), andcharacter 210 may, for example, if the virtual store allows trading,trade up from a handgun to a more sophisticated weapon.

[0042] In another embodiment, a virtual billboard within a specific gameplaying program will advertise real world products such as clothing,sports gear, movie tickets, food products, etc. Upon selection of thebillboard advertisement, the game character will enter a virtual storein which he/she may purchase the advertised product or enter contactinformation to be sent additional information regarding the advertisedproduct.

[0043] Game advertisements are generally produced by the game publishersor advertisers to which the game publisher has sold the ad locations andopportunities. The publishers or advertisers may require game players tomatch a preferred profile or to fulfill certain game requirements beforegame players may view specific advertisements or promotions. Forexample, a player must have accumulated a certain amount of points orplaying time before being allowed to view an advertisement for a moresophisticated weapon to be used within the game or a player must 21years or older to be allowed to view the advertisement that contains afree coupon for a six pack of beer. Such requirements are enforced viaencrypted keys or other secure methods to check a users qualificationbefore displaying of certain advertisements. Such checks may be made,for example, by the remote server 110, or the program 185, and thenecessary qualifications are, for example, stored in metadata in thedatabase and are retrievable by either the remote server or program.Other advertisements are available to all players willing to view them.Some advertised products are available for “purchase” using points, butothers require the use of real currency.

[0044] Advertisements displayed within the virtual billboard are viewedaccording to rules established by either the advertisers or gamepublishers. The rules are accessible and enforced by either the remoteserver or the program 185. Example rules include, for example, thatadvertisements may only be viewed during specified time intervals,according to fluctuating supply levels, or determined by a sequence ofactions taken by the game character in relationship to theadvertisement. For example, a beer ad may be specified to viewed in theevening, whereas a coffee ad is displayed in the morning and an addisplaying a coupon for a free movie ticket may be displayed only to thefirst 1000 game players who select the advertisement. In anotherexample, an advertisement containing a coupon for a free movie ticket isonly displayed if a game player directs his character to jump threetimes around the circumference of the billboard displaying the ad orthrows a tomato at the center of the billboard.

[0045] In one embodiment, an on-line connection between the add-oncomponent and the remote server provides up to date information on thedisplay schedule and stock availability of specified advertisements. Theremote server 110 includes a manager program 120 that is configured tomanage advertisement display schedules and rules presented in thevirtual billboard. The manager program 120 includes all the necessaryprogramming to enforce game publisher rules about the display andselection of advertisements within the game (e.g., evaluation and/orproduction of keys needed to insure proper distribution of theadvertisements), and maintains all necessary hierarchies or otherorganization needed to present the advertisements available for viewingin an efficient manner. Messages, such as management message (M) aresent form the manager, over a network (e.g., Internet), to the usercomputer, through the API 190, to the add-on component 115B with thelatest information needed to properly implement the feature of theadd-on component (e.g., latest advertisements, product promotions,display schedules and criteria). Relevant information aboutadvertisement selection or purchases or other aspects related toactivities of the virtual billboard (or other feature) are sent back, asneeded, to the manager via response (R) messages. In another example,the add-on component is a can, and the can appears in the video game asa soda can if the registered player is under age, and as a beer can ifthe user is not under age. The age requirement being a rule, the canbeing an add-on component inserted into the game, and the can label(beer/soda, etc) being advertising content specified by advertisers tothe remote server and then controlled by the remote server, viamanagement messages, as to when it is allowed to appear as a beer, soda,or other product.

[0046] The manager 120 is also configured to coordinate purchases viacredit card, bank accounts, or other currency sources by sending billinginformation to any available 3rd party credit or bill paying service(e.g., VISA, PayPal, etc.). Moreover, the manager 120 is also configuredto coordinate responses back to the user computer add-on component tocoordinate interaction with a multimedia server that correctly samples,filters, resizes, and returns multimedia assets such as video, images,and audio files that represent the advertisements being displayed to theuser. For example, a soda can object may be resized from a game objecthandled by a user in the foreground or in the background (perspectiveresizing) of the video game play space or resized for use in abillboard.

[0047] Although only one add-on component is shown in FIG. 1, theprogram 185 may be configured to accept multiple add-on components, andremote server 110 is preferably configured to serve many different typesof add-on components. In addition, add-on component 115A/B is notlimited to implementing a single feature in the program 185, and mayalso be programmed to implement multiple features. A “Scavenger Hunt”area 230 is also shown in the example game playing space of FIG. 2. Likethe “Freeway Billboard”, the Scavenger Hunt area is available forselection and in game characters may be directed to navigate around andthrough the area to collect, for example, coins, money, or treasure thatrepresent gift certificates, any one or more of which are add-oncomponents, that are again, for example, redeemable for real lifeproducts such as electronics, clothing, or movie tickets. The presentinvention does not place constraints on how the add-on component isimplemented in the game. In some embodiments though, the presentinvention evaluates metadata and requires certain rules be fulfilledbefore download of the add-on component to the user computer orenablement of one or more features of the add-on component (e.g.,download or enablement via a message M). The message M may contain anyof an add on component, instructions to enable features, requests of theuser computer, or other messages (e.g., data, status, etc.). Informationneeded from the user's computer to make decisions as to downloading ofcomponents or enablement of features is retrieved, for example, via amessage (R) sent from the user's computer to the remote computer (e.g.,automatically sent to the remote server on a schedule or as the resultof an event, or sent in response to an inquiry message (M) from theremote computer).

[0048] In some embodiments, the update area (e.g., Freeway Billboardarea 220) is required to have a similar motif as the program, or atleast be related to the program (e.g., advertise characters orequipment, etc. that is usable with or at least related to the game).However, in other embodiments, the updated area may not be related atall to the game being played. For example, instead of selling gameequipment, freeway billboard area 220 might be an advertisement for anactual auto dealership selling full sized automobiles. The FreewayBillboard then, for example, once selected links to an on-line store forFord, Chevy, or Ferrari automobiles. In one embodiment, special gamingstyle programming is utilized to implement the car sales area. Inanother embodiment, the car sales area is a link that brings up atraditional browser into the game program that the user can view a carsales web site (the traditional browser may have a skin or other motifsimilar to a motif of the game program; motif of the online stores orother areas/locations within the game play space may also be similarlyupdated using skins developed for add-on components).

[0049] In addition, in one embodiment of the invention, advertisementscreens may be displayed during idle load time that typically occurswhen the game is loading into memory. Load screens typically includeapplication code and graphics representing a game play space that mayrepresent, for example, a scene such as that depicted in FIG. 2. Thesame space and resources are converted to advertising. An exampleadvertisement screen 1400 is illustrated in FIG. 14. The advertising tobe presented is provided from an add-on component, or a message to anexisting component in the user's game program. In another embodiment,advertisements may be shown when a game player pauses game play byselecting a pause option provided by the game (e.g., see pause screen1500, FIG. 15). When viewing advertisements presented in a load or pausescreen, the game player may interact with the advertisement directly andmay choose to resume the game after the game space or sequence hascompleted loading or upon selecting to unpause the game.

[0050] Although additional aspects and features of the invention arediscussed herein below, in several broad embodiments, the presentinvention includes: an add-on component served from a remote server thatis installed (or imported) into a program of a user computer; an add-oncomponent that implements one or more new features to a program; aremote server that manages a part of a program remotely (e.g., notifyinga virtual billboard in a program about advertisement availability and/orinstructing the billboard to display a specific advertisement), in whichthe part may be either an add-on component or a permanent part of theprogram. Management by the remote server may also be configured toinsure integrity of the display and use of the add-on components via theuse of keys and other privacy facilities that make those components, oraspects of the components, inoperable unless certain conditions are met.For example, in one embodiment advertisers that upload content to theremote server are also required to enter a key (e.g., an encrypted key)that indicates to the remote server a length of time that the content isvalid and a frequency of use of the content. Keys may be provided toextend the life of the content or change the frequency of use (e.g.,license is fully paid).

[0051] Thus, in one embodiment, the invention is a game, comprising, agame playing program wherein at least one part of the game playingprogram is configured to be populated with an add-on component, and theadd-on component is populated from a remote source. The add-on componentmay be an advertisement, a object used in the game, or a display area inwhich to show advertisements.

[0052] In one embodiment, the game playing program includes a characterthat represents a player utilizing the game playing program, the add-oncomponent comprises a gaming style program that implements anadvertisement billboard paradigm, the game playing program is configuredto allow the player to direct the player's representative character toselect the advertisement billboard, and the add-on component isconfigured to allow the character to select and purchase itemsadvertised within the billboard. In another embodiment, the add-oncomponent comprises a gaming style program that implements scavengerhunt collection paradigm, in which the game playing program isconfigured to allow the player to direct the player's representativecharacter to treasures such as coins, money, jewels, power-ups, etc,that represent certificates that may be redeemed for advertised productsor services. However, it should be understood that any number of gamingparadigms may be implemented using the processes and techniques of thepresent invention and those examples provided herein do not limit thetype or scope of possible implementations. In fact, the presentinvention is not limited to gaming programs and may be applied to anytype of computer product.

[0053] The present invention is also a system, comprising, for example,a game playing program wherein at least one part of the game playingprogram (e.g., 185) is configured to be populated with an add-oncomponent, a remote server (e.g., 110) configured to store and serve atleast one add-on component (e.g., 115A) compatible with the game playingprogram, and an interface (e.g., 190) coupled to the game playingprogram, the interface being configured to interact with the remoteserver and facilitate importation of an add-on component from the remoteserver into said at least one part of the game playing program. Theimportation of the add-on component (e.g., 115B) may be a dynamic update(e.g., during game play) of contents of at least one of an area andlocation (e.g., 220) within the game playing program. The add-oncomponent may be, for example, an advertisement (e.g., any of an adsponsorship, product placement, gift certificate, video, text, graphic,game object, or other component) utilized by the game playing program.In another example, the add-on component may define a virtual billboard(e.g., Freeway Billboard 220) configured to at least one of display,distribute, advertise, or promote products and services and link to anonline auction or store that is accessible as part of the game playingprogram and at which game players may purchase the advertised productsor services.

[0054] In one embodiment, the remote server is further configured toregister users of the system, transmit binary application code of theadd-on component, and generate and transmit a license key that controlsuse of the add-on component. For example, in one embodiment, the licensekey is produced by a license key program co-located in the remoteserver. The license key is provided based on content and payments ($ orother remuneration) provided by an advertiser and/or game publisher. Thelicense key is transmitted in a message M to the user computer (e.g., toprogram 115B via API 190) where it enables previously transmitted add-oncomponents and/or content.

[0055] The server includes facilities to manage an area within a programhosted on a user computer, wherein the server is remotely located fromthe user computer. In one embodiment, the server is further configuredto define advertisement campaigns such that any of the virtualbillboards within a game may be dynamically updated within the programaccording to specified display rules (The display rules may, for examplebe transmitted in a message M to the program 115B for implementation. Inother embodiments, the display rules are implemented by the remoteserver via commands sent in messages (m) to the program 115B).

[0056] The server may also be further configured to facilitatefulfillment of purchase transactions incurred by a game player in avirtual store that is linked to from a managed area, and bill the gameplayer's purchases via interaction with a third party billing system tocharge the game player and credit a selling party, and, for example,persist a billing record of fulfilled purchase transactions by savingrelevant purchase information into a centralized storage device (e.g.,to database 130).

[0057] The server may also be configured to facilitate the dynamicresizing, sampling, or editing or a multimedia image, audio, video, ortext file that represents the add on component to be displayed withinthe managed area through interaction with a third party multimediaserver. This encompasses all types of matching needed to place contentprovided by advertisers in spaces within the game playing program and/ora component installed in the game playing program. The spaces are, forexample, software modules, objects, or specifically defined areasprogrammed into the game playing program and configured to accept thecontent and use the content in the play space or virtual world of thegame playing environment. FIG. 17 is a screen shot of an example playspace or virtual world 1700. An advertising billboard 1710 is a spaceprovided for advertising (e.g., advertising content 1720).

[0058] The server may also be configured to identify areas within theprogram that are capable of being dynamically updated from a remotesource (e.g., advertising billboard 1710, game object 212, etc.) andthen dynamically update the content of at least one of the identifiedareas. The identified areas comprise, for example, at least one of a twodimensional and three dimensional space, or an object within an outputof the game program.

[0059] On-line advertising includes a method, comprising the steps of,uploading an add-on component to a game program of the registered user,wherein the game program is configured to accept and install the add-oncomponent, and managing activities of the user during interactions ofthe user with the uploaded add-on component. Preferably, the users arerequired to login to the system as shown in FIG. 18 and are registeredwith the system which includes, for example, ID information, and creditcard or other information used to bill the user for services and/orproducts offered by any one or more features provided by the presentinvention. The game user's account is created and/or updated using, forexample, a registration window such as that shown in FIGS. 19 and 20.Managing activities includes, for example, managing advertisements andtheir respective multimedia assets (content), managing various locationswithin a game in which advertisements may display, and managing ahierarchical organization and grouping of related advertisements withinan ad campaign. A campaign in one embodiment is a grouping of relatedadvertisements that are scheduled or configured to display in a commonlocation during a common time period according to a set of definedguidelines as set forth in the succeeding paragraphs. The presentinvention provides a unique method for grouping advertisements intocampaigns such as, in one embodiment, is shown in FIG. 12.

[0060] Managing also includes the steps of defining a set of guidelines(or rules) governing a advertisements display, distribution, or behaviorwithin a advertisement location (e.g., billboard space), and enforcingthe guidelines through management activities that, for example, includeuse of any metadata, binary files, and/or license keys of the add-oncomponent according to the set of guidelines governing the uploadedcomponent (e.g., as provided by game publishers).

[0061] The invention also includes a method of producing add-oncomponents for games, comprising, preparing an executable programcomponent capable of being imported into a game program and configuredto interact with a game being played by a user of the game program. Theexecutable program component may be programmed or otherwise configuredto implement a virtual billboard or scavenger hunt area in which gameplayers may participate. Participating may include, for example,selecting or collecting items being advertised, and request moreinformation regarding the advertised items, purchase the advertiseditems, or redeem the collected advertised items for gift certificates,products, or services.

[0062] An API (e.g., 190) is utilized that allows the program (e.g., agame) to dynamically update the contents of an area/location within theprogram from a remote source. This is particularly applicable to“advertising” intended to take place, for example, in a game, such thatthe “area/location” being updated is a virtual “billboard” and the“contents” are real world products such as clothing, food, services, etcthat are for sale. “Freeway Billboard” 200, discussed previously, is oneexample. The contents of the billboard 200 may change on a predeterminedschedule (e.g., every 30 seconds), or based upon gaming actions (e.g.,billboard changes after a certain weapon is fired). Another example issuch that the “area/location” being updated is a pause screen and the“content” being advertised are movie tickets. For example, when a gameplayer discovers the secret entrance of a hidden castle, the phone ringsand he pauses the game to take the call. When the game player comes backto the game, a movie trailer advertising (e.g., displayed ininterstitial advertisement area 1510) that the third installment of TheLord of The Rings is opening this Friday. After clicking on a link(which, for example, may also be the interstitial advertisement area1510), to view local show times and purchase tickets online, the gameplayer unpauses his game (resume game button 1530) to continue his questto save the world.

[0063] Another example is such that the updated “area/location” withinthe game is a “pit stop” within a racing car game and the “content”being updated is a game object representing engine oil. When stoppingfor a pit stop, the game player may choose the brand of engine oil thathe prefers to use in real life and within the game. Selecting a specificbrand of engine oil also allows the game player to click on a specialpop-up to be sent a coupon for $1 off the advertised brand of engine oil(e.g., via the user's registered e-mail address). Alternatively, apop-up allows the user to enter his e-mail address to receive the couponor other announcement.

[0064] Yet another of example is that the updated “area/location” withinthe game is a “secret bonus level” and the updated “content” is couponsfor advertised products. In this example, a game player is playing acartoon character driven game with secret bonus rounds where gameplayers must navigate the main character through a maze to collectproduct coupons and gift certificates of differing values anddenominations. In order to collect the coupons, for example, the gameplayer must jump on or hit barrels and blocks that are marked withhighlighted arrows. The coupons in this scenario are advertisements forreal products and are hidden within specified locations and objectswithin the bonus round environment. The coupons and gift certificatesare preferably content downloaded to the gaming user's computer andmanaged by the remote computer. Alternatively, the content is managed byprogramming on the user's computer according to the rules provided tothe user's computer by the remote computer. After completion of thebonus round, the game player may be presented with the option of viewingthe specific discounts and gift certificates for real world productsthat he/she has collected during the bonus round.

[0065] The “area/location” may also be a feature that is anon-advertising scenario as well. For example, an “area/location” mayalso be defined in the game as a treasure chest and the “contents” ofthe treasure chest may be coins, jewels, weapons, potions, etc. In oneembodiment, the contents are dynamically determined by making a request(or response to a remote server management message) to a remote serverthat manages and maintains the catalog of items. For example, when aplayer nears a room where a treasure chest is to be located, programmingon the user's computer makes a request to the remote computer thatrequests a treasure chest and/or contents of the treasure chest. Similarrequests may be used to request advertising content for any of the otherembodiments discusses herein.

[0066] Furthermore the “remote server,” on a Transplay Platform (e.g.,105), may execute code at the time of the request to determine whatspecific item should display within the treasure chest depending upon“game rules.” The “game rules” are set up as an administrative processby the game developer or publisher through, for example, a web basedmanagement console. Examples of such rules are show jewels if the maincharacter opening the chest is a woman, show life potion if the maincharacter's health is less than 50%, or randomly etc. Another example ofthis behavior is defining a building as a location within a game (e.g.,an ammo shop, museum, gas station, fast food, etc.), different bad guysthat run out of the building shooting at the main character as thecontent, and game rules such as run out only if the main character hasrescued the President and is at risk of escaping. Any game rules for anyparticular game or group of games may be utilized.

[0067] We now provide a more detailed look at the various features ofthe present invention. In one embodiment, the present inventiondescribes an online game advertising system that provides gamedevelopers and publishers with the ability to define, sell, distribute,and manage advertisements, sponsorships, and placements that appearwithin the game as part of the game experience or during idle load,wait, and pause screens. The present invention allows game developers todefine locations within their games in which advertisements may appear.Through the use of a Web based management console, game publishers andadvertisers may create and schedule new image, audio, text, or videobased advertisements to display within available game locations asdefined by the game developer.

[0068] Define advertisement locations and objects: In one embodiment,the present invention provides a method for defining advertisementlocations and objects. In this context, the term “defining” refers to aunique method of specifying the areas or objects within a game in whichadvertisements may display (e.g., game publishers provide information tothe remote server that specifies the areas and objects for a game or setof games that the remote server will interact with).

[0069] Moreover, the term “defining” also refers to the unique method ofrestricting the types of advertisements that may display within a givenarea or object within a game (e.g., game publishers specify content andformat of content that is useable and/or appropriate for the specifiedareas and objects). Examples of such restrictions include but are notlimited to the multimedia type (image, video, or audio), dimensions,file size, and duration of an advertisement. “Areas” in this contextrefers to any region mapped to any two or three-dimensional coordinatesystem bounded by the spatial dimensions of the described space.Moreover, “objects” in this context refers to the representation of anygame component such as but not limited to a game character, weapon,device, equipment, landmark, or scenery that may contain areas in whichadvertisements may appear. This is achieved through the use of GameService and Game Location APIs (Application Programming Interface) suchas those depicted in FIG. 6, Items 105 and 150 and which provide aprogramming interface to define advertisement locations and objectswithin the code of a game written for any proprietary gaming console orclient such as, but not limited to, Sony Playstation 2, Microsoft Xbox,Nintendo GameCube, any wireless or handheld game client, or a personalcomputer. Preferably, the APIs are standardized across different gamingenvironments, but several different location APIs at the remote computercould be utilized to accommodate different environments.

[0070] Register advertisement locations and objects: In one embodiment,the present invention provides a method for registering advertisementlocations and objects with a game advertising server. The term“registering” in this context means the process of specifying theadvertisement locations and objects that have been defined within a gameby a game developer using the method described above. In one embodiment,this may be achieved manually through the use of user interface providedby a web based management console application (e.g., the processillustrated in FIG. 3, steps 1-4 performed by Advertising Manager 100(FIG. 6) and/or, for example, using the screens illustrated in FIG. 9).In another embodiment, registration may be achieved automaticallythrough an asynchronous import of an XML document containing a listingof all of the advertisement locations and objects within a game that areto be registered with the game advertising server.

[0071] Define campaign and display rules and register advertisementassets: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method fordefining campaign and display rules and registering advertisement assetswithin an online game advertising server through the use of a userinterface provided by a web based management console application such asthe method depicted in FIG. 4, which may be implemented, for example, ona server (e.g., see FIG. 6, Item 100). For example, as shown in FIG. 4,one may use a web based management console to image, video, ormultimedia assets to a remote server (e.g. FIG. 6, Item 100) and entervarious information describing such assets in association with one ormore advertisements or ad campaigns. Moreover, the remote server wouldthen transfer the multimedia media assets to a Multimedia Server (e.g.FIG. 6, Item 140) and store the descriptive metadata into a relationaldatabase (e.g. FIG. 6, Item 130). The term “campaign” refers to acollection of advertisements. The term “advertising asset” refers to amultimedia object such as an image, audio, or video file that representsthe content of the advertisement to be displayed. The term “register” inthis context refers to the unique method of specifying a set of metadataassociated with an advertising asset that may include properties such asbut not limited to the asset's name, description, media type, file size,dimensions, and URL or path to locate the asset. The term “displayrules” refers to a set of guidelines governing at what time and at whatlocations within a game a campaign should be displayed and in whatsequence the advertisements within a campaign should be displayed.Moreover, “display rules” may in one embodiment represent a set ofcriteria to determine what advertisements to display at specificlocations based upon game environment variables such as but not limitedto any of player location, player skill level, points that a game playerhas achieved through prior or current game play, the number of times thegame player has viewed the advertisement, the specific theme or genre ofthe level of the game at which the ad is to display, the presence orexistence of specific game objects, characters, weapons, equipment, oritems, and a game player's, character's, or object's previous actions inrelationship to the ad location or to other game players, characters,and/or objects within the proximity of the ad location.

[0072] For example, an advertising campaign may be uploaded by anadvertiser to the remote server. The remote server then applies theadvertising campaign to a driving game operating on a user's computervia API 190. In this example, the advertising campaign is for a newautomobile. The advertising campaign contains several relatedadvertising assets including, a skin for the new automobile, billboardadvertising material, and a virtual store. The advertising campaign alsoincludes the display rules for each of the assets. For example, a rulethat the billboard advertising occurs first, then, the skin is appliedto an opponent in the driving game, the opponent must have obtained aminimum skill level prior to having the skin applied, and, at the end ofthe driving game, after having viewed the skilled opponents performancedriving automobile with the advertising skin, the virtual store providesthe game user the opportunity to shop for the new automobile. In thisexample, the display rules include both timing data (at what time do theassets appear), and needed requirements before utilizing an asset (e.g.,skill requirements before applying the skin, must be an opponents car).In this example, the advertising assets include data applied to existingparts of the game (billboard data applied to a billboard, an auto skinapplied to an automobile game component), and an entire component to beadded (virtual store). In the case of data applied to existing parts ofthe game, the remote server saves the advertising assets and sends themto various games hosted on user computers (e.g., via messages M to API190). In the case of the virtual store, the virtual store is an add oncomponent downloaded to the user's computer and then the virtual storeis managed by the remote computer. The above provides an example of anadvertising campaign, the specifics of any one campaign may varysignificantly. Regardless of those specifics, the present inventionprovides a mechanism in which the add on components, advertising assets,data, rules, etc, may be registered, stored, and applied to games andother programs via the remote server.

[0073] Specify and transfer advertisement assets: In one embodiment, thepresent invention provides a method for specifying and transferringadvertisement assets that have been registered with an online gameadvertising server (e.g., see FIG. 6, Item 120) as described in abovewith a multimedia server (FIG. 6, Item 140) such as an image, audio, orvideo server through the use of a user interface provided by a web basedmanagement console application (FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, Item 100). The terms“specifying” and “transferring” in this context means a method ofidentifying the advertisement asset located within one system andcopying or moving (e.g., uploading the advertisement asset onto thesystem of a multimedia server).

[0074] Persist advertising metadata: In one embodiment, the presentinvention provides a method for persisting advertising metadata into acentralized storage device such as a relational database catalog ornetworked file system (e.g., see FIG. 6, Item 130). In this context, theterm “metadata” refers to any describing property or feature of anadvertisement, campaign, location, or display rule and any relationshipsbetween said objects. Examples of such relationships include but are notlimited to: what advertisements belong to what campaigns, what campaignsare displayed at which locations during what times, at what sequence dothe advertisements within a campaign display, and according to what gameenvironment variables do advertisements display themselves.

[0075]FIG. 21 illustrates an example relational database schema 2100 inwhich metadata may be stored in the example schema 2100, fields aremaintained for linking a location 2110, a campaign 2130 for theadvertisement, display rules 2150, and specific information for theadvertisement 2170 (e.g., size, text, etc.)

[0076] Request advertising metadata and schedules: In one embodiment,the present invention provides a unique method for online games torequest advertising metadata and schedules that determine whatadvertisements are to display in specified locations within the gameduring specified times and according to specific display rulespreviously determined by an administrative user. For example,programming running on the user computer (e.g., ad on component, gameclient, etc.) requests advertising from the remote server (e.g., at gamestart-up, or other strategic times during game operation). Whenrequesting advertising metadata and schedules, game clients must passthe server information such as but not limited to the locationidentifiers that uniquely identify an ad within a game and any gamespecific environment variables such as object and character positioningand actions and game player profiles and skill set and experience level.This is achieved, for example, through the use of a Game Service andScheduling APIs (Application Programming Interface) as depicted in FIG.6, Items 150 and 110 that provide a standard programming interface(e.g., standardized interface) to request the advertising metadataidentifying advertising campaigns and their respective display rulesthat are to display within a specified location during a specified timefrom any proprietary gaming console or client such as, but not limitedto, Sony Playstation 2, Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, any wirelessor handheld game client, or a personal computer.

[0077] Receive and post messages and advertising assets: In oneembodiment, the present invention provides a unique method for receivingand posting messages and advertising assets. After an online gamerunning on a game console or user computer (client) requests advertisingmetadata and determines an ad campaign's display rules, schedule, andlocations, it requests the advertising assets that represent theadvertisement. The content of the messages passed between the client andgame server may be in one embodiment an XML message containing adcampaign listing metadata. For example, FIG. 7 illustrates an XML formatstructure that may be utilized to send metadata and which corresponds tothe example structure 800 for the metadata as shown in FIG. 8.Specifically, item 500 in FIG. 7 and item 600 in FIG. 8 represent a rootlevel parent object CampaignListing that contains one or more Campaignobjects, item 510 and 610. Each Campaign object has an id attribute thatuniquely identifies the Campaign within the system and contains the datastructure elements AdListing (520, 620) and Location (530, 630). AnAdListing data structure contains Ad elements (525, 625) which in turncontain attributes and elements such as id, name, description, width,height, asset URL, etc. that describe an advertisement within thespecified ad campaign. A Location object (530, 630) represents thelocation within a game at which advertisements are to appear andcontains attributes and elements such as ID, name, and description.

[0078] When requesting advertising assets, the game client may, forexample, pass the advertising server information describing the specificrun time parameters that the ad should take. Such parameters include butare not limited to ad dimensions, duration of video or animation, colorscheme, transparency, file format, and file size. This is achievedthrough Game Service and Messaging APIs such as those depicted in FIG.6, Items 115 and 150 and that in one embodiment provide a transactional,synchronous model of downloading advertising assets on a demand basis.In another embodiment the present invention provides an asynchronousmethod of delivering advertising assets on a scheduled broadcastdelivery mechanism in which the advertising server uploads advertisingassets to each subscribing game console or client. When a successfultransaction has been fulfilled both selling and buying parties arenotified via a message sent by invoking a standard Messaging APIinterface provided by the game commerce server.

[0079] Request advertising asset: In one embodiment, the presentinvention provides a method for requesting an advertising asset from amultimedia server. In this context “advertising asset” is defined as amultimedia file such as an image, video, or audio file that representsone or many parts or the whole of an advertisement to be displayedwithin an online game. A “multimedia server” such as that depicted inFIG. 6, Item 140 is any server that is responsible for the dynamicretrieval, resizing, sampling, composting, or generation of such files.The requesting of such assets may be achieved through the use of aMultimedia API (FIG. 6, Item 125) that contains interfaces to make callsto a multimedia server to allow for the dynamic retrieval, resizing,sampling, composting, or generation of images, video, or audio files.

[0080] Receive advertising asset: In one embodiment, the presentinvention provides a method for receiving an advertising asset from amultimedia server. In this context “advertising asset” is defined as amultimedia file such as an image, video, or audio file that representsone or many parts or the whole of an advertisement to be displayedwithin an online game. A “multimedia server” is any server that isresponsible for the dynamic retrieval, resizing, sampling, composting,or generation of such files. The receipt of such assets may be achievedthrough the use of a Multimedia API (FIG. 6, Item 125) that containsinterfaces to make calls to a multimedia server to allow for the dynamicretrieval, resizing, sampling, composting, or generation of images,video, or audio files.

[0081] Persist advertising impressions, click-throughs, and gameactions: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a uniquemethod for persisting advertising impressions, click-throughs, and gameactions taken on an ad into a centralized storage device such as arelational database or networked file system. “Advertising impressions”in this context are defined as the number of times that game playersviewed a particular advertisement within an online game and“click-throughs” is defined as the number of times that a game player“clicked” on the advertisement to display more detailed informationrelated to the core topic of the advertisement. The advertisingimpressions are, for example, tabulated by the user computer andforwarded to the remote computer. The remote computer may also tabulatesstatistics on the number of accesses for each ad and/or ad type. “Gameactions taken on an ad” is defined in one embodiment as any actionperformed directly or indirectly by a game player, character, or objecton an advertisement that is represented as a game object within thegame. Examples of such actions include but are not limited to hitting,throwing, shooting, jumping on, eating, kicking, speaking, shouting at,and running into an ad object. Information such as, but not limited to,the user name of the game player viewing or clicking the ad, the currenttime and date, demographic information about the viewer, the length oftime that the ad was viewed or interacted with, and the types of actionstaken on an ad object is saved as part of the transaction. The act ofpersisting advertising impressions, click-throughs, and game actions inone embodiment is performed by an Advertising Server such as thatdepicted in FIG. 6, Item 120 using a relational storage database suchdepicted in FIG. 6, Item 145. The impressions data is stored in thedatabase.

[0082] View advertising reports and statistics: In one embodiment, thepresent invention provides a unique method for viewing advertisingreports and statistics about advertising impressions, click-throughs,and game actions taken on an ad. Through the use of a user interfacesuch as a web based application (FIG. 6, Item 100), game publishers orsystem administrators may review reports that illustrate details such asbut not limited to ad viewership by time period, impressions,click-throughs, and ad actions by demographic group or region, andimpression to click-through success rates and ratios. Data to generatethe reports is stored in one embodiment in a relational database such asthat depicted in FIG. 6, Item 145.

[0083] The present invention may be conveniently implemented using aconventional general purpose or a specialized digital computer ormicroprocessor programmed according to the teachings of the presentdisclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the computer art.

[0084] Appropriate software coding can readily be prepared by skilledprogrammers based on the teachings of the present disclosure, as will beapparent to those skilled in the software art. The invention may also beimplemented by the preparation of application specific integratedcircuits or by interconnecting an appropriate network of conventionalcomponent circuits, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in theart based on the present disclosure.

[0085] The present invention includes a computer program product whichis a storage medium (media) having instructions stored thereon/in whichcan be used to control, or cause, a computer to perform any of theprocesses of the present invention. The storage medium can include, butis not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, mini disks(MD's), optical discs, DVD, CD-ROMS, micro-drive, and magneto-opticaldisks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, DRAMs, VRAMs, flash memory devices20. (including flash cards), magnetic or optical cards, nanosystems(including molecular memory ICs), RAID devices, remote datastorage/archive/warehousing, or any type of media or device suitable forstoring instructions and/or data.

[0086] Stored on any one of the computer readable medium (media), thepresent invention includes software for controlling both the hardware ofthe general purpose/specialized computer or microprocessor, and forenabling the computer or microprocessor to interact with a human user orother mechanism utilizing the results of the present invention. Suchsoftware may include, but is not limited to, device drivers, operatingsystems, and user applications. Data used by the software may beretrieved from different sources (local or remote) and eitherpermanently or temporarily stored (before, during, or after anyprocessing) by utilizing any of text files, delimited files,database(s), or other storage techniques. Ultimately, such computerreadable media further includes software for performing the presentinvention, as described above.

[0087] Included in the programming (software) of the general/specializedcomputer or microprocessor are software modules for implementing theteachings of the present invention, including, but not limited to,finding updateable areas of a program, transferring components from aremote server to a program, managing areas/locations with a remoteprogram, including organizing displays and facilitating purchase ofadvertised items displayed, installing add-on components into a program,and the display, storage, or communication of results according to theprocesses of the present invention.

[0088] The present invention includes substantial discussion regardinggame objects which includes game objects which are programming modulesthat may be resident in gaming software or imported into gamingsoftware. Game objects may also refer to virtual objects that are usedas part of the game. The underlying programming of a virtual object maybe referred to as a game object.

[0089] In describing the present invention, billboards, coupons,treasure, and other items are used to describe various game parts and/oradvertisements. These are examples and the present invention isapplicable to any type of advertising presentable in a gaming or on-lineformat and include any type of value or known physical object.

[0090] Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is thereforeto be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:
 1. A game, comprising: a game playing program whereinat least one part of the game playing program is configured to bepopulated with an add-on component.
 2. The game according to claim 1,wherein said add-on component is populated from a remote source.
 3. Thegaming system according to claim 2, wherein said add-on component is anadvertising component.
 4. The gaming system according to claim 2,wherein said add-on component is an on-line billboard.
 5. The gamingsystem according to claim 2, wherein said add-on component is ascavenger hunt area.
 6. The gaming system according to claim 2, whereinthe on-line billboard is dressed in a motif similar to a motif of thegame playing program.
 7. The gaming system according to claim 5, whereinthe on-line scavenger hunt is dressed in a motif similar to a motif ofthe game playing program.
 8. The gaming system according to claim 4,wherein the virtual billboard links to an on-line store that utilizes atleast one of points accumulated during game play, and currency forpayment of advertised items selected for purchase in the on-line store.9. The gaming system according to claim 5, wherein: the game playingprogram includes a character that represents a player utilizing the gameplaying program; said add-on component comprises a gaming style programthat implements a scavenger hunt paradigm; the game playing program isconfigured to allow the player to direct the player's representativecharacter into the scavenger hunt area; the add-on component isconfigured to allow the character to select and collect items in thescavenger hunt area; and the add-on component is configured to allow thecharacter to redeem the items collected in the scavenger hunt foradvertised products and services.
 10. A system, comprising: a gameplaying program wherein at least one part of the game playing program isconfigured to be populated with an add-on component; a remote serverconfigured to store and serve at least one add-on component compatiblewith the game playing program; and an interface coupled to the gameplaying program, the interface configured to interact with the remoteserver and facilitate importation of an add-on component from the remoteserver into said at least one part of the game playing program.
 11. Thesystem according to claim 10, wherein said interface is a game serviceAPI.
 12. The system according to claim 10, wherein said importation ofthe add-on component comprises a dynamic update of contents of at leastone of an area and location within the game playing program.
 13. Thesystem according to claim 10, wherein said add-on component comprises anadvertisement utilized by the game playing program.
 14. The systemaccording to claim 13, wherein said advertisement comprises at least oneof a promotion, placement, gift certificate, sponsorship, animation,video, graphic, text, audio, or game object or character.
 15. The systemaccording to claim 13, wherein said remote server is further configuredto transmit binary application code of the add-on component, andgenerate and transmit a license key that controls use of the add-oncomponent.
 16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said remoteserver is further configured to register users of the system.
 17. Thesystem according to claim 15, wherein said registration includesinformation utilized by the system to determine eligibility of a user todownload a particular game component or advertisement.
 18. The systemaccording to claim 10 further comprising: management facilitiesconfigured to, register advertising materials to be forwarded by theremote server to add-on components installed in game playing programs,and manage the advertising materials according to rules associated withthe advertising materials; wherein the advertising materials appearwithin an on-line game as part of the game experience or during idleload, wait, and pause screens.
 19. A server configured to manage an areawithin a program hosted on a user computer, wherein the server isremotely located from the user computer.
 20. The server according toclaim 19, wherein: the program is a game program; and the managed areaimplements at least part of a play space output of the game program. 21.The server according to claim 19, wherein the managed area is configuredto output any of advertisement sponsorships, certificates, placements,promotions, audio, text, graphics, video, and objects used by theprogram.
 22. The server according to claim 19, wherein the serverdynamically updates the managed area by uploading programming to an APIof the program, wherein the API is configured to add the uploadedprogramming into the program, and the uploaded programming is configuredto update the managed area.
 23. The server according to claim 19,wherein the server is further configured for at least one of defining,selling, distributing, and managing advertisement campaigns comprisingany of advertisement sponsorships, certificates, placements, promotions,audio, text, graphics, video, and objects that are compatible with theprogram.
 24. The server according to claim 19, wherein the server isfurther configured to define a virtual marketplace from which anadvertisement may link to at least one of trade, collect, buy, and sellitems through any of online advertisements and virtual marketplaces thathave been dynamically updated into the program.
 25. The server accordingto claim 19, wherein: the program is a game program; and the server isfurther configured to facilitate fulfillment of purchase transactionsincurred by a game player from selection of an advertisement of themanaged area, and bill the game player's purchases via interaction witha third party billing system to charge the game player and credit aselling party.
 26. The server according to claim 19, wherein the programis an on-line game.
 27. The server according to claim 19, wherein saidserver is further configured to identify areas within the program thatare capable of being dynamically updated from a remote source and thendynamically update the content of at least one of the identified areas.28. The server according to claim 27, wherein the identified areascomprise at least one of a two dimensional and three dimensional spacewithin an output of the game program.
 29. A method of on-lineadvertising, comprising the steps of: registering a user of a gamingsystem; uploading an add-on component to a game program of theregistered user, wherein the game program is configured to accept andinstall the add-on component; and managing activities of the user duringinteractions of the user with the uploaded add-on component.
 30. Themethod according to claim 29, wherein said add-on component comprises atleast one of an advertisement, advertisement campaign, billboard, andpromotional area.
 31. The method according to claim 29, furthercomprising the steps of: defining advertisement locations and objects byspecifying at least one of spatial areas and game objects within a gamein which advertisements may display; and restricting the types ofadvertisements that may be displayed based on rules associated with atleast one of the special areas or game objects, and advertisements. 32.The method according to claim 29, further comprising the step of:registering advertisement locations and objects with a game advertisingserver by specifying advertisement locations and objects that have beendefined within a game by a game developer.
 33. The method according toclaim 29, further comprising the steps of: registering advertisementassets within an online game advertising server; identifying metadataassociated with the advertisement assets; grouping a collection of theadvertisement assets into campaigns; and specifying a set of guidelinesgoverning use of a campaign's advertisement assets.
 34. The methodaccording to claim 33, wherein said step of specifying comprisesspecifying guidelines governing at least one of timing, sequence, andlocation of use of the campaign's advertisement assets.
 35. The methodaccording to claim 34 wherein said guidelines are specified according tospecific game environment variables and criteria that indicate if theadvertisement assets can be displayed at a specified location.
 36. Themethod according to claim 29, wherein specifying and transferringadvertisement assets that have been registered with an online gameadvertising server comprises identifying the advertisement asset locatedwithin one system and copying or moving the advertisement asset onto thesystem of a multimedia server.
 37. The method according to claim 33,further comprising the step of persisting advertising metadatacomprising any of a description of property or a feature of anadvertisement, campaign, location, display rule, or game objects andactions representing an ad, and relationships between objects into acentralized storage device.
 38. The method according to claim 29,further comprising the steps of passing game play specific environmentvariables to the add-on component and executing calls to a server todetermine what advertisements are to be displayed in specified locationswithin an online game according to specific display rules andenvironment specific variables.
 39. The method according to claim 29,further comprising the steps of: passing in to the add-on componentspecific variables that relate to at least one of an appearance andcharacteristic of an advertisement; and requesting and transferringadvertising assets that represent the advertisement.
 40. The methodaccording to claim 39, wherein said step of requesting and transferringadvertising assets comprises executing calls to a multimedia server toallow for the dynamic retrieval, and any of resizing, sampling,composting, and generation of any of images, video, and audio files;wherein said advertising assets comprise any of an image, audio, video,or other multimedia asset associated with an advertisement.
 41. Themethod according to claim 29, further comprising the step oftransferring dynamically any of resized, sampled, composted, andgenerated images, video, or audio files from a multimedia server to anonline advertising system.
 42. The method according to claim 29, furthercomprising the step of persisting advertising impressions,click-throughs, and game actions taken on an advertisement by savingstatistical information regarding a number of views, selections, andactions performed on advertisements within an online game into acentralized storage device such as a relational database or networkedfile system.
 43. The method according to claim 29, further comprisingthe step of viewing advertising reports and statistics comprised ofreports that illustrate at least one of advertising impressions,click-throughs, game action histories, summaries, and other detailsrelated to advertisements implemented through the add-on component. 44.A gaming component comprising: a software module configured to beimported into a commercially available gaming program; wherein saidsoftware module is configured to implement an additional feature of thegaming program, the additional feature comprising at least one of anadvertisement promotion, placement, certificate, sponsorship, audio,text, graphics, video, and objects used by the game program.
 45. Thegaming component according to claim 44, wherein said software moduleimplements an advertisement in the gaming program; and saidadvertisement comprises a motif that matches a motif of the gamingprogram.
 46. The gaming component according to claim 45, wherein theadvertisement comprises an entrance to a game area that implements anelectronic shopping paradigm in which at least one character of thegaming program interacts.
 47. The gaming component according to claim44, wherein said software module is configured to allow a character ofthe gaming program to interact with the additional feature.
 48. Thegaming component according to claim 44, wherein said software module isconfigured to allow a player of the gaming program to request additionalinformation regarding a selected advertisement.
 49. The gaming componentaccording to claim 48, wherein said request mechanism is at least one ofan end of e-mail, fax, instant message, telephone call, direct mailing,and other communication.
 50. The gaming component according to claim 48,wherein said software program is further configured to utilize acharacter to notify the player of additional information regarding anadvertised product or service.
 51. The gaming component according toclaim 50, wherein the event is related to an advertisement activityfacilitated by the software program.
 52. The gaming component accordingto claim 44, wherein the software module is configured to receive atleast one of graphics, text, audio, and video from a remote source to beused in at least one part of the additional feature.
 53. The gamingcomponent according to claim 52, wherein said at least one of graphics,text, audio, and video is advertising material.